Pakistan is open to international tourism

Visitors from all around the world can now enter Pakistan, regardless of their vaccination status. Foreign travelers are not required to quarantine. Non-fully vaccinated visitors are required to possess a negative PCR test result conducted within 72 hours prior to departing. Travel insurance is not required, however, it is recommended.

To travel to Pakistan, everyone needs a visa or electronic authorization. Most visitors can receive a visa entirely online and a large number of nationalities are also eligible for a visa on arrival (to be obtained at the port of entry before reaching immigration).

Most international flights to Pakistan have been resumed. Transiting via Pakistani airports is permitted for vaccinated travelers.

Practical tips

  • If you are flying to Pakistan from abroad, you will most likely land at one of its biggest international airportsits main international airportJinnah International Airport KHI in Karachi, Allama Iqbal International Airport LHE in Lahore, and ,em>Benazir Bhutto International Airport ISB in Islamabad.

    These are also the best (and cheapest) airports to fly into Pakistan. As they are used by many airlines serving the same routes, the competition for passengers is fierce, and airfare decreases as a result.
Best airports to fly into Pakistan: Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, Hyderabad, Islamabad
Pakistan has more than 60 airports, including main international airports – Jinnah International Airport KHI in Karachi, Allama Iqbal International Airport LHE in Lahore, Benazir Bhutto International Airport ISB in Islamabad, Bacha Khan International Airport PEW in Peshawar, Multan International Airport MUX in Multan, and Sialkot International Airport SKT in Sialkot.
  • Once in Pakistan, take advantage of frequent intercity flights operated by domestic airlines such as Pakistan International Airlines, Airblue, AirSial, Serene Air, Fly Jinnah, and Alvir Airways. Those in-country carriers typically offer lower fares, operate from smaller airports located closer to city centers (you save on ground transportation) and provide flexible schedules – with a wide range of departure times.
  • Planning to explore the region? Popular destinations near Pakistan can be easily reached with regional low-cost carriers (LCCs) by the likes of Air Arabia, FlyDubai, FlyNas, Jazeera Airways, Pegasus Airlines, SalamAir, and Saudia. If you have a layover in Pakistan and plan to fly only a short distance to one of its neighboring countries, these budget airlines are an excellent way to save money.

Flights to Pakistan
from United States and Canada

  • There are no direct flights from the US or Canada to Pakistan. However, most major hubs in Asia have non-stop flights to Pakistan, as do some larger airports in the Middle East – your journey will have at least one stop. There are no direct flights from the US to Pakistan. However, most major hubs in Asia have non-stop flights to Pakistan, as do some larger airports in the Middle East – your journey will have at least one stop.

    The US authorities banned direct flights from Pakistan after the 9/11 attacks, due to security concerns. However, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has been trying to obtain clearance from the US Federal Aviation Administration and may soon be allowed to operate non-stop flights to three major American cities: New York, Chicago and Houston.

    There are three weekly direct flights from Canada (Toronto) to Pakistan (Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad) and back operated by Pakistan International Airlines (PIA).
  • Pakistan is well-served via one-stop flights from North America. Flights to Pakistan with one layover depart from most major North American airports, including Atlanta ATL, Dallas DFW, Denver DEN, Chicago ORD, Los Angeles LAX, Las Vegas DFW, Miami MIA, Seattle SEA, Houston IAH, New York JFK, and San Francisco SFO in the United States and Toronto YYZ, Vancouver YVR, Calgary LAS, and Montreal YUL in Canada.
  • The best airlines to fly to Pakistan from the US and Canada are: Emirates, Etihad Airways, Qatar Airways, Pakistan International Airlines, Saudia, and Turkish Airlines. They are top full-service carriers, offering exceptional customer service, in-flight comfort, a generous checked baggage allowance, and reliable customer support channels – all included in the ticket price.

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Flights to Pakistan from Europe

  • There are no direct flights from Europe to Pakistan — you’ll need to get a connecting flight from elsewhere in the Middle East or in Asia. Direct flights from Europe to Pakistan are about 6-8 hours long. Only some of the largest European hubs have a nonstop connection to Pakistan — Barcelona, Istanbul, and London. Those flights arrive at either Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, or Sialkot airports, and are operated by Pakistan International Airlines, Pegasus Airlines, and Virign Atlantic.
  • Airlines that frequently fly from the UK, Germany, France, and other European countries to Pakistan include British Airways, Emirates, FlyNas, KLM, Pakistan International Airlines, Pegasus Airlines, Qatar Airways, Turkish Airlines, and Virign Atlantic.
  • Consider departure airports in neighboring countries to increase your chance of spotting the best deal. Especially look for large airports that serve as hubs for multiple airlines. For example, if you live in Western Europe, check air tickets to Pakistan from Amsterdam, Frankfurt, London, Madrid, Paris, and Rome. Leverage frequent promotions from European budget carriers like RyanAir, EasyJet, and Eurowings to reach a major hub; from there, take a cheaper long-haul flight to your final destination, potentially saving hundreds of euros.

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Things to know before flying to Pakistan
Airlines flying to PakistanAir Arabia, Air China, Air Mauritius, Air Sial, AirBlue, British Airways, Cham Wings Airlines, China Southern Airlines, EgyptAir, Emirates, Ethiopian Airlines, Etihad Airways, Fly Baghdad, Fly Jinnah, FlyDubai, FlyNas, Gulf Air, Iberia, Iran Air, Iraqi Airways, Jazeera Airways, KLM, Kuwait Airways, Malaysia Airlines, Neos Air, Oman Air, Pakistan International Airlines, Pegasus Airlines, Qatar Airways, Royal Air Maroc, SalamAir, Saudia, Serene Air, SriLankan Airlines, Thai Airways, Turkish Airlines, Virgin Atlantic
Airlines of PakistanPakistan International Airlines, Airblue, AirSial, Serene Air, Fly Jinnah, Alvir Airways, K2 Airways, Jet Green Airlines
Regular price (roundtrip)✈ €350 – €600 (from Europe)
✈ $750 – $950 (from USA)
Main airports in PakistanJinnah International Airport (KHI) — Karachi
Allama Iqbal International Airport (LHE) — Lahore
Benazir Bhutto International Airport (ISB) — Islamabad
Bacha Khan International Airport (PEW) — Peshawar
Multan International Airport (MUX) — Multan
Sialkot International Airport (SKT) — Sialkot
Faisalabad International Airport (LYP) — Faisalabad
Quaid-e-Azam International Airport (UET) — Quetta
Shaikh Zayed International Airport (RYK) — Rahim Yar Khan
Turbat International Airport (TUK) — Turbat

Low-cost flights from Pakistan

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Know your time zone

When checking flights and airport transfer times, ensure you know the local time zones. The departure/arrival times on your plane ticket and boarding pass are based on the time zone of the departure/arrival airport – this also applies to the connecting (layover) airports.

Pakistan has only one time zone – it observes Pakistan Standard Time (PKT) all year, which is GMT/UTC+5 time zone (five hours ahead of Coordinated Universal Time). There are no daylight saving time clock changes.

Pakistan is 10 hours ahead of New York, and 6 hours behind Sydney. Interestingly, Pakistan is 30 minutes behind the center of India.

The cheapest time to fly to Pakistan

The cheapest time to fly to Pakistan is during the low (off-peak) tourist season between July and August. These are the rainiest months – monsoons affect the entire country, and the wet weather keeps most tourists from visiting Pakistan. Because prices are dictated by supply and demand, July and August are the best time to find some great deals on airline tickets and accommodation.

Duty-free rules

Pakistan is serious about the duty-free concession. There is a limit for bringing in certain items. Import of alcoholic beverages is strictly prohibited for both residents and non-residents regardless of their nationality. Also, you can carry only 200 cigarettes (or 500g of tobacco products). In addition to personal items, you may also carry items such as gifts up to a value of PKR 2,000.

Anything above those limits must be declared – at the airport, head to the Red Lane to declare your goods.

Next tips

Long waiting times when calling the helpline?

Social media is usually a faster way to reach the airline when a problem arises. Use Twitter or Facebook Messenger to contact the airline customer service and get a response and solution within minutes (see detailed guides for Air India, IndiGo, GoFirst, and others).

When it comes to Twitter, there’s one more trick to get in touch with the airline faster: mention the airline in a tweet about your issue (add “@airline_handle”, for example: “@Official_PIA” for the national carrier Pakistan International Airlines). The customer care team will often notice it immediately, ask you for a direct message, and respond privately.

Avoid currency exchange kiosks at airports

Airports are infamous for making an exuberant amount of money from their currency exchanges due to the extremely high margins, and Pakistani airports are no exception. Airport kiosks usually charge higher fees which are sometimes hidden within the poorer exchange rates they offer – their business is based on charging extra for being a convenient, last-minute option.

It is always a good idea to bring cash with you to Pakistan, as the country is a cash economy. The national currency is the Pakistani Rupee (PKR), with an approximate exchange rate of 1 USD = 160 PKR.

Getting money from ATMs can be a struggle (especially in the northern part of the country) and not all banks accept foreign cards. As Islamic banks do not work with foreign cards, try ATMs that are operated by Bank Alfalah, Habib Bank, and MCB Bank to withdraw cash.

Next tips

Airlines of Pakistan

Pakistan’s national flag carrier is Pakistan International Airlines (PAI). It is the largest and oldest carrier in the country, operating a fleet of more than 30 aircraft from its three hubs in Karachi, Islamabad, and Lahore. PAI offers the largest choice of non-stop and indirect flights to Pakistan from more than 50 countries in Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Africa, and North America.

The three other Pakistani airlines are Airblue, AirSial, and Serene Air. Among the planned airlines are Fly Jinnah, Alvir Airways, Q-Airlines, K2 Airways, and Jet Green Airlines. These smaller carriers are mostly focusing on short-haul routes, offering flights at lower prices in comparison to full-service PAI. However, because they manage affordable tickets by cutting down on their operation costs, they may not provide free baggage allowance, inflight refreshments, meals, or onboard entertainment. In most cases, their tickets are fixed and non-refundable in case of no show-up or cancellation.

Flights to Pakistan
from Australia and New Zealand

  • Australia and New Zealand offer robust flight networks to key APAC locations, Pakistan included. While domestic carriers like Qantas, Jetstar Airways, Virgin Australia, and Air New Zealand provide solid options, several major international airlines also serve these routes. These include ANA, Cathay Pacific, EmiratesGaruda Indonesia, Japan Airlines, Korean Air, Malaysia Airlines, Philippine Airlines, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, and Thai Airways — expanding your choices for travel between Australasia and Asia.

    There are no direct flights from Australia or New Zealand to Pakistan. You’ll need a layover in one of the major hubs in Asia.
  • Airlines have different pricing strategies for different routes. Depending on airline partnerships, demand, and even the time of year, a flight to Pakistan could be significantly cheaper from Sydney than from Melbourne.

    Compare fares from main international airports in Australia: Sydney SYD, Brisbane BNE, Melbourne MEL, Perth PER, Adelaide ADL, Cairns CNS, Gold Coast OOL, Canberra CBR, Darwin DRW, and in New Zealand: Auckland AKL, Wellington WLG, Christchurch CHC, and Queenstown ZQN.
  • If you’re looking to save, consider flying from Australia or New Zealand to a primary Asian hub, then catch a connecting flight to Pakistan with a regional budget airline such as Air Arabia, FlyDubai, FlyNas, Jazeera Airways, Pegasus Airlines, SalamAir, and Saudia.

    For the initial leg of your trip, full-service airlines such as Qantas or Virgin Atlantic offer premium comfort and exceptional service, albeit at a premium price. However, many Asian airlines, including budget carriers, operate out of Australia and frequently feature sales and promotions. For instance, AirAsia runs deals to Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, and Singapore; Cebu Pacific to Manila; Scoot to Singapore; VietJet Air to Ho Chi Minh City; Jetstar to Seoul, Singapore, and Tokyo; Bamboo Airways to Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Beijing; Batik Air to Jakarta and Singapore.

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Flights to Pakistan
from major hubs in Asia

  • Asia is probably the best continent for short-haul and mid-haul flying. The sheer scale of this most populous region on Earth is reflected in the type of aircraft operating many shorter routes: intra-Asia flyers benefit from comfortable, wide-bodied aircraft by the likes of Boeing 777, 787 or Airbus A350, A330, and A380. When booking your flight to Pakistan look for these bigger planes as they will almost always give you the best experience in every cabin, including better seat pitches, higher ceilings, and larger overhead bin space.
  • Asia is also home to most of the world’s best airlines. There are only ten airlines that received the prestigious 5-star mark of quality from Skytrax, and all of them are from Asia: ANA, Asiana Airlines, Cathay Pacific, EVA Air, Garuda Indonesia, Japan Airlines, Korean Air, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines. Choosing one of these airlines for your trip to Pakistan will guarantee a pleasant journey – delicious meals served during the flight, great in-flight entertainment, and above-average airline customer service.
  • Asia is extremely well served by low-cost regional airlines. If you are visiting Pakistan and want to see several other countries on a tight budget, they often have great sales with rock-bottom prices, while still offering a relatively comfortable flight experience. Among the best Asian budget airlines you can book without hesitation are AirAsiaCebu Pacific, Citilink, FlyDubai, Indigo, Jetstar Airways, Scoot, SpiceJet. The cons? Being no-frills airlines they may not provide free baggage allowance, inflight meals, or onboard entertainment. The departure times may also be quite inconvenient as they try to save money by flying at off-peak hours.

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Flights to Pakistan dataset